Small landscaping supply yard
Run a small yard with bulk bins of soil, gravel, bark and pavers, selling to landscapers, builders and local homeowners.
- $40k-200k
- Full-time
- Own premises
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the US, not guarantees.
Official data
13,195 US businesses with employees in this field, -1.8% in a year
NAICS 444220 “Nursery, garden center, and farm supply stores”. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
What it is
A small open-air yard with storage bins or piles of bulk materials like topsoil, mulch, gravel and sand, plus pavers and stone. Customers load their own trucks, buy bagged goods, or order delivery. You need a loader or skid steer to fill trucks.
Your first three steps
- Look for affordable industrial or rural land to lease near a busy road, and check zoning with your city or county first
- Get quotes from quarries and wholesalers for your top five materials and compare against local competitors' prices
- Price a used loader and a scale or measuring bucket, and talk to local landscapers about what they would buy from you
Who pays
Local landscapers, builders and contractors who buy regularly, and homeowners with garden and driveway projects.
How it makes money
You buy in bulk and sell by the scoop, yard, ton or pallet at a markup. You can add delivery fees and sell bagged goods and paving materials.
Skills that help
- Operating a loader or skid steer
- Inventory and supplier management
- Customer service and quoting
- Basic bookkeeping and managing cash flow
Watch out for
- Zoning and permits for bulk storage, which vary by county and city, so check before signing a lease
- Stormwater and erosion runoff rules for open material piles, so check with your state or local environmental agency
- General liability insurance, property cover and workers' compensation once you hire help
- Heavy equipment safety and training for anyone operating the loader
- Check your state's sales tax rules, including resale certificates for contractor customers
- Highly seasonal in many areas, so keep cash reserves for winter
Deep research report · US
Everything you need to start: small landscaping supply yard
Researched with live web search for United States: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a landscaping supply yard?
Estimates are typically around $40,000 to $200,000 to start, depending on the land or lease, the loader or skid steer you need and how much material you stock. Costs vary widely with location and scale.
How much can a landscaping supply yard make?
Estimated monthly revenue is typically around $15,000 to $75,000, depending on your regular contractor customers, your product range and your location. Highly seasonal in many areas, so keep cash reserves for winter.
What permits and rules should I check for a supply yard?
Check zoning and permits for bulk storage with your county or city before signing a lease. Also check stormwater and erosion runoff rules with your state or local environmental agency, insurance, equipment safety and training, and your state's sales tax rules.
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